Stroke, Upper Extremity Dysfunction
Conditions
Keywords
stroke, trunk control, kinesiology taping
Brief summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if kinesiology taping works to treat stroke patients. The main question it aims to answer is: Is kinesiology taping effective in stroke patients? Researchers compare kinesiology taping to a placebo (visually similar but has no effects) to see if kinesiology taping works immediately to treat stroke patients.
Detailed description
This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of kinesiology taping (KT) on trunk control, posture, proprioception, and upper limb function in stroke patients, specifically focusing on the trunk-scapula-shoulder complex. A total of thirty-seven stroke patients participated in this placebo-controlled trial, where they were randomly assigned to either the KT group (n=19) or a placebo-controlled sham KT group (n=18). The KT group received kinesiology taping applied using facilitation and inhibition techniques, while the control group received sham taping without therapeutic tension. The application of kinesiology taping to the trunk-scapula-shoulder complex in stroke patients resulted in immediate enhancements in trunk control, shoulder posture, and proprioception. However, it did not significantly improve upper limb function in the short term.
Interventions
OTHERKinesiology Taping
The treatment group received Kinesiology Taping around the trunk extensors, lower and middle trapezius, supraspinatus, deltoid muscle group, and serratus anterior muscle.
In the control group, kinesiology tape was applied without tension and in a manner that did not target specific muscle groups or respect the anatomical origin and insertion points.
Sponsors
University of Beykent
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Experienced a first-ever stroke * Demonstrated a motor recovery level of Brunnstrom stages 3 or 4 in the affected upper limb * No history of botulinum toxin-A therapy within the past three months * Possess sufficient cognitive ability to understand and follow assessment instructions
Exclusion criteria
* Individuals with movement or functional limitations due to prior shoulder injuries * Exhibited allergic reactions or skin sensitivities to taping * Patients with any existing skin conditions
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Trunk Impairment Scale | Change of trunk impairment from baseline at the end of 24 hours of each kinesiology taping intervention. | The Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) is a validated assessment tool designed to evaluate trunk function in stroke patients, measuring static sitting balance, dynamic sitting balance, and trunk coordination through a total of 17 items. Each item is scored based on the patient's performance, with the highest score recorded from three repetitions. The TIS provides a total score ranging from 0 to 23 points, where a higher score indicates better trunk function. |
| Posture Evaluation | Change of posture scores from baseline at the end of 24 hours of each kinesiology taping intervention. | Posture was assessed using the Posture Screen Mobile (PSM) application, a reliable and valid software tool for posture analysis available on iOS and Android devices. In this study, a physiotherapist utilized an iPad camera to capture sagittal plane photographs of each participant, which were then digitized by marking specific anatomical landmarks. The PSM application calculated anterior and lateral translations, as well as angular displacements, overlaying a grid on the images to assist in accurate landmark placement. |
| Proprioception Evaluation | Change of proprioception scores from baseline at the end of 24 hours of each kinesiology taping intervention. | Trunk and shoulder proprioception were evaluated using the inclinometer, with participants positioned at 30° forward flexion of the trunk for testing. They were instructed to hold this position for 5 seconds and then return to a neutral position for another 5 seconds before attempting to reproduce the initial benchmark position, with up to five attempts allowed. Shoulder proprioception was assessed at 75° and 90° flexion. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Assessment Scale | Change of upper-limb function scores from baseline at the end of 24 hours of each kinesiology taping intervention. | The Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) was employed to evaluate upper-limb function in stroke patients, focusing specifically on three items: item 6 (upper-limb function), item 7 (hand movements), and item 8 (advanced hand activities). Each item is scored on a scale from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating better functional ability, resulting in a total score range of 0 to 18 for these three items. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed